UNITY AND THE GLORY OF GOD (3 OF 4)
Scripture: Romans 15:1-13
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Unity and the Glory of God (3 of 4)
Series: Gospel Unity
Romans 15:1-13
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself ... (vv. 1-3).
Love Over Liberty
In any church, there is never complete agreement on everything. We disagree. And those disagreements can lead to disunity. That's what was happening in the church in Rome. There was a disagreement about food and days.
- ''One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables'' (14:2).
- ''One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike'' (14:5).
The ''weak'' were probably Jewish Christians who felt strongly that they should obey the OT dietary laws and observe the Sabbath. What should we do when another Christians strongly believes that something is sinful but it actually isn't sinful? Value love over liberty.
- ''Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him'' (14:3).
- ''Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother'' (14:13).
-''If your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died'' (14:15).
- ''Let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding'' (14:19).
We are all different, having different opinions. But we are all equal in the body of Christ, fully accepted by God by grace through faith in Christ. This means we should ''welcome'' (14:1) one another (i.e., accept and love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ).
What Must We Do?
In 15:1, Paul addresses those ''who are strong.'' The ''strong'' are those who are able to understand that ''nothing [i.e., no fo ...
Series: Gospel Unity
Romans 15:1-13
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself ... (vv. 1-3).
Love Over Liberty
In any church, there is never complete agreement on everything. We disagree. And those disagreements can lead to disunity. That's what was happening in the church in Rome. There was a disagreement about food and days.
- ''One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables'' (14:2).
- ''One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike'' (14:5).
The ''weak'' were probably Jewish Christians who felt strongly that they should obey the OT dietary laws and observe the Sabbath. What should we do when another Christians strongly believes that something is sinful but it actually isn't sinful? Value love over liberty.
- ''Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him'' (14:3).
- ''Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother'' (14:13).
-''If your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died'' (14:15).
- ''Let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding'' (14:19).
We are all different, having different opinions. But we are all equal in the body of Christ, fully accepted by God by grace through faith in Christ. This means we should ''welcome'' (14:1) one another (i.e., accept and love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ).
What Must We Do?
In 15:1, Paul addresses those ''who are strong.'' The ''strong'' are those who are able to understand that ''nothing [i.e., no fo ...
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